Metallic dispensing receptacle



Dec. 19, 1939. H, w, RUEGER 2,184,227

METALLIC DISPENSING RECEPTACLE Filed July 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuv/wtom AER/7H 14.0905 5;

Dec. 19, 1939. H. whuEGER METALLIC DISPENSING RECEPTACLE Filed July 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 new/w? MRI/56m aria am Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,184,227 7 METALLIG DISPENSING RECEPTACLE Herman W. Rueger, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Liberty Can and Sign Company, Lancaster, Pa., a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 14, 1939, Serial No. 284,547

8 Claims.

This invention relates to metallic dispenser receptacles.

The primary objects of the present invention are to provide a special construction of sliding top 5 having a depressed portion connected with the main portion of said top by an abrupt integral imperforate nearly or substantially perpendicular marginal web which may be quadrangular in shape or outline, in combination with a body whereby side flanges of the top fitting about the respective outer sides of side portionsof an upper edge seam, or edge curl portions, of the body serve to tightly slidably hold the top to the body with the respective outer faces of the respective side portions of said web in sliding and bracing contact with the opposed inner side faces of the respective sides of the upper end seam or upper portion of the sides of said body and with an end portion of said Web opposed to the correspondingly abrupt face of an end portion of said upper end seam or an end portion of the upper portion of said body to strike thereagainst to positively limit the sliding movement of said top in one endwise direction; to provide, in association with a combination such as above defined, an upper end closure seamed to the body and formed with a discharge opening or perforated or scored discharge area, said end closure and cover being of resilient material and so formed and shaped as to be resiliently held against each other, and the discharge opening or perforations or scores occupying an area of said end closure less in extent than the area of said depressed portion of said cover whereby in the closed position of said cover said depressed portion will bear against marginal portions about the discharge opening or area of discharge of said end closure; to provide in such a combination a frangile sealing means, such as a sheet of paper, which may be upper face of the end closure and the lower face of the cover during assembly and may be easily torn away or removed by the consumer prior to use; to provide in such a combination any one .of a number of different kind of dredger or other dispensing constructions, such as a removable plug, a large precut discharge opening, a plurality of small sifter perforations, or knock-out portions, or any desired combination of such dispensing constructions so that the consumer may make use of one or more according to his or her preference.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a can or box embodying my invention;

easily and quickly inserted in place between the Figure 2, a top plan view thereof with the slide cover moved to intermediate or partly open position and with the end portion of the paper seal D torn away;

Figure 3, a sectional view on-the line 3-3 of 5 Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4, a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, taken prior to the removal of the paper seal D;

Figure 5, a sectional view corresponding to Figure 3, but with the slide cover in closed position and after the paper seal D has been removed by the consumer;

Figure 6, a view, similar to Figure 5, of a modified form;

Figure 7, a view similar to Figure 2 of a further modification, the sealing paper D being omitted; Figure 8, a view similar to Figure 7 of a further slight modification;

Figure 9, adetail very fragmentary view in section taken on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the top I in its extreme open position with the rear face of its rear wall 2 in contact with the front face of the rear end of the top seam or portion of the body; and I Figure 10, a View similar to Fig. 4 of a portion of a further modification.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, A designates a receptacle body which may be of i any desired length or height and which may be formed up separately from its bottom end closure B which may be secured to the body A by seaming the two together, as shown, in accordance with usual well known practices in the can manufacturing art. -C designates a top end closure which may be similarly seamed to the top end of the body A in those embodiments of the invention wherein a top end closure such as C is to be employed.

D designates a frangible seal, such as a thin sheet of paper, or tag tin, or metal foil or other material suitable to the purpose, and which is to simply be placed in position in the recess defined by the upstanding sides and ends of the upper end seam so that when the sliding cover I is apulied over the upper end of the can or receptacle the seal D will be interposed between the lower face of the depressed portion 5 and the upper face of the adjacent upper end closure C, in those cases where a frangible seal such as D is to be employed. Or, the under face of this seal D may be pasted to the upper face of C.

The top end closure C is formed with a depressed or recessed seat [0, which may be of any desired shape so long as it corresponds to the shape of the closure plug 9 which fits in the discharge opening defined by the inner edge of said seat I9 and of which the upper edge flange is received in said seat when said closure plug is in its operative closing position. Said recess I is of oblong quadrilateral shape in the embodiment illustrated and is preferably located adjacent one end of the top closure C with its greatest diameter disposed transversely of said closure C and will preferably be so spaced or centered relative to the adjacent end, and adjacent end portions of the sides, of said top closure C as to leave a wide band or margin of the material of top closure C at all points about the seat I9 and the opening defined by the latter, said band or margin lying in the same plane as the rest of said top closure C with the exception of the seat ll! and the portion entering into the seam to the body A.

The sliding cover I is of resilient sheet metal of the quality and usual thickness, or thinness, such as employed in the manufacture of the usual tin can or metal can or box such as used currently in the packaging of foods, drugs and liqi uids of various kinds, the sheet metal employed for the various portions of the embodiment illustrated being actually substantially about the thickness of the sheet of paper on which this is written or slightly in excess of such thickness, although in order to show such parts in section on the drawing it has been necessary to greatly exaggerate their thickness in order to comply with the requirements as to drawings.

The top slide cover I is formed with a large depressed area or presser face 5 preferably located in the forward end portion of said cover I and integrally connected with the remainder of said cover I by a web approaching preferably as closely as practical to the perpendicular to the plane faces of said remainder of cover I and of said presser face 5, and in the embodiment illustrated said web has a rear wall 2, side walls 3 and a front wall 4, the corners preferably being rounded so that the ends and sides merge in a smooth curve at the corners to avoid possible difficulties in the metal drawing or fabricating operations.

In the assembled relation of the cover I on the body A the outer faces of the respective side walls 3 of said web will lie substantially parallel for their straight portions to, and in snug rubbing sliding contact with, the respective opposed inner faces of the respective sides 8 of the top seam, and the extreme side marginal edge portions of the slide cover I will be bent down as side flanges I and curled about the same so as to firmly engage and press against the: lower or under side of the outer faces of said sides 8 of said top seam when the lower face of the plane portion of slide I is preferably in contact with the extreme upper portions or crests of said sides 8, the nature and thickness or weight of the sheet material from which slide cover I with its integral flanges l is formed being such as to firmly and resiliently hold the slide cover I in operative sliding relation to the said sides 8. The web connecting presser face 5 with the remainder of slide I will be of such perpendicular length or depth with relation to the height of the crest of the sides 3 of the upper seam as to result in the presser face 5 being pressed firmly against the upper face of the upper closure sheet or plate C and will preferably be of such length or depth as to result in a slight downward yielding of the plate C orupward yielding or springing of the slide I, or a slight yielding or springing of both said plate C and slide I so as to ensure good contact of substantially all marginal portions of the lower face of the presser face 5 with the opposed upper face portions of the plate C at all points, or substantially all points, about the discharge opening or closure plug recess I0 when the cover or slide cover I is an closed position.

The recess I9, its discharge opening, and the closure plug 9 therefor may be of any shape, size and location desired and the closure plug 9 and its cooperating recess and opening wall may be of any usual known type and construction and while I have illustrated simply a set in plug that may be lifted from place without any frictional or other resistance, a friction plug fitting into a tapered seat, or an expanded locking plug, may be used, in fact any one of a number of different well known closures may be used in place of the specific form of plug 9 shown.

The lower face of the presser face 5, in its closed position, will bear against the upper face, or preferably bears against the upper face, of the flange of the plug 9 in the embodiment illustrated, as shown in Figure 5, after the seal D has been removed by the consumer, to hold the plug 9 securely in place should the customer wish to double close the package by the re-insertion of the plug 9 toprevent leakage in case the consumer should wish to take the package with him in traveling. It follows that when the goods are shipped out by the manufacturer to a distributor with the seal D in place the presser portion or face 5 will similarly press the seal D against the flange of plug 9 and thus through the interposed seal D press the plug 9 firmly home. Of course some manufacturers may elect to eliminate the seal D from consideration and rely simply on the metal elements to make a good sift-tight closure or may use a suitable paper, fabric, gum or other usual packing on the lower face of the flange of plug 9 or the upper face of the seat ID or interposed between the plug 9 and its seat II] in any usual manner to make a tight seal between the two,

The presser face 5 may be of any size, shape and location desired so long as, in the closed position of the cover I, the lower face of the presser foot or portion 5 will extend beyond the seat ID at all points about the same to contact at all such points the opposed portions of the upper face of plate C, and so long as the sides 3 are in sliding contact with the respective opposed inner faces of the seam sides 3. The length of said presser foot, face or portion 5, that is to say the distance between front wall t and rear wall 2, will determine the degree of sliding movement of the slide cover I on a receptacle of a given size, that is to say on a receptacle of a given size where the distance between the seam front I2 and the seam rear II, a variation in the distance between the walls 4 and 2 of the slide cover I will result in a variation in the length or extent of sliding movement permissible.

In practice the receptacles will have the top closer plate C seamed to the body A, the seal D where specified, will be placed in position, the plug 9 having previously been inserted in its seat I0, and the slide cover I will be applied and have its flanges l tightly curled about the sides 3 of the upper seam to permit a controlled or slow snug frictional sliding movement, as distinguished from a sloppy free sliding movement, but the bottom closure B preferably will not be seamed on the body, but simply sent out to the manufacturer or packer who will fill his goods into the open body of the can and then seam the bottom B to the body A in accordance with usual trade practices.

In use the consumer will pull the slide cover I rearward to such degree as will give him access to the seal D to tear or pull it out of the way and to-the plug 9 to remove it, but cannot move the slide beyond the point where the rear face of wall 2 strikes the forwardface of the rear II of the upper seam, as illustrated in Figure 9.

Having opened the receptacle, the consumer may discard the plug 9 and, after obtaining such of the contents as he Wishes to use at a given time, simply slide cover I to its normal closed position shown in Figures 1 and 5 and rely on the close contact between the marginal portions of the lower face of presser foot 5 with the opposed upper face portions of plate C at all points about the seat III to make a good tight closure, or he may reinsert the plug 9, as illustrated in Fig. 5, if he prefers.

The wall 4, in the embodiment illustrated, will strike against'the rear face of the front I2 of the upper seam when the slide cover I has been moved to its extreme closed position and serve as an indication that the closing movement has been completed, and a little repression or point pressed down near the rear of slide cover I rides up over the rear I I of said upper seam and springs down to bear against the front face thereof to hold the slide cover I in closed position as the closing movement is completed.

Preferably a front flange 6 will extend horizontally forward from the upper portion of wall 4 for the full width of the slide I to overlie the front-portion of the slide cover I and add to the finished appearance of the finished article and if desired and for the same reasons the rear ends of the side flanges I may be connected together across the width of' the rear end of the slide cover I by a continuous integral flange F.

The slide cover I in addition to serving as a closure means also serves to brace the body A and prevent its deformation by the engagement of the respective walls 3 with the respective sides 8 of the top seam or directly with the inner faces of the adjacent portions of the respective sides of the body A, according to the construction of the receptacle, for instance where the upper closure plate C is omitted.

While the walls 2 and 4 may be straight, as in the embodiment illustrated, except for their end portions where they are curved to merge with the side walls 3, they will preferably correspond in length and shape to the length and shape of the ends I I and I2 .of the adjacent portion of the receptacle and where said end walls II and I2 are curved transversely of the receptacle the walls 2 and 4 will preferably be curved to the same degree or substantially the same degree.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 6, the construction and operation are the same as in the preferred form except that the recessed seat II! and the plug 3 are omitted and instead a discharge opening 9' is cut in the plate C. In this modification the paper seal D will preferably be used during storing and shipment of the goods to distributors and until sold to the consumer who will remove the seal D on initially opening the package and Figure 6 illustrates the modified form as in use by the consumer and after the removal or" the seal D. However, while the use of the seal D in this modification is preferred it is not essential.

In the modification shown in Figure 7, the construction and operation are the same as in the embodiment shownin Figure 6, except that in place of the opening 9 a corresponding knock-out maintaining the imperforate condition of the plate C has been marked out by the scored or semi-cut lines I5 interrupted by the narrow lands or necks I6, the scored lines I5 so weakening the sheet metal of plate C that the knock-out delineated by the said scored lines I5 may be easily pressed or knocked out of position, in accordance with prior known practioe, leaving a large discharge opening. The seal D may be used in this embodiment in the receptacle as initially packed and up to its delivery to the consumer, though since the area of plate remains imperforate up to the time of delivery of the goods to the consumer there would be no gain from the use of such seal D and it would be more economical to omit it.

.In the modification shown in Figure 8, the construction and operation are'the same as in the embodiment illustrated in Figure '7, except that instead of the large knock-out 90 the corresponding area 90Il of the top plate or closure C is formed with a plurality of sifter perforations I3 and such sifter hole or perforate area is combined with a knockout lddelineated in the form of the cross-section of a teaspoon or other measuring spoon by means of the scored or semi-out lines I interrupted by the narrow lands or necks I6. By this construction the consumer may use it either as a dredger, leaving the knock-out It in place, or by removing the knock-out I l may provide a dip opening or spoon opening to remove thecontents. The perforations IS, instead of being completely punched out may be delineatedv by scored or semi-cut lines corresponding to I5, in accordance with present well known practices in very wide use in the can art and may be left to be punched out by the consumer. Where the performations I3 are completely punched through, as illustrated, the seal D will preferably be .used by the manufacturer.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 10, the construction and operation are the same as in the preferred form, except that the top plate closure C, with its recessed seat I0 and its plug 9, the seal D and the seam securing the top plate closure C to the ,body A are all omitted and instead the edge portion of the body A is formed into a 'curl 80 preferably extending completely about said edge portion and having two relativelystraight parallel side portions and the flanges I of the slide cover I engage about the respective side portions of the curl 8B in this modified form in exactly the same manner and serve exactly the same functions as in the preferredform. In this modified form reliance is had on the tight contact,.in closed position, of the lower face of the top, or slide cover I, including its end flange 6, with the crest -of the curl 86 to make a reasonably tight closure of the body A. This can not be said to be a hermetically sealed closure and this embodiment will preferably be used in connection with coarse grained goods or nonpowdered, non-liquid goods, and for this type of goods it will provide a good relatively tight closure and will meet the needs of a large range of packaged goods while avoiding the expense involved in providing the elements omitted.

- In all of the embodiments illustrated the slide cover I may be completely formed with its flanges I bent or curled to final form and then applied to the body-A by being pressed thereon, during which operation the flanges I will momentarily spring outward to respectively receive and em.- brace the sides 8 of the top seam or the sides of the edge curl 36 as the case may be. Also the slide cover i may be formed up except for the final spinning or inwardly bending or curling of the lower portions of the flanges I and in this conditicn be applied to the body A, after which the flanges I will be operated upon to spin or bend or curl their lower portions inward and upward to tightly slidably engage the lower faces of the sides 8 or sides of the curl 3t, and this latter mode of application is preferred.

I claim:

1. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, a closure plate seamed to said body by an upstanding seam, said closure plate being formed with an opening spaced from the sides and end of said plate, a recessed seat disposed about said opening a closure plug seated in said seat, and a seal contacting the upper face of said plate, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, a wide depressed portion functioning as a presser foot, a web connecting the depressed portion. at all points about the same with the upper plane portion of said cover and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with the inner fa es of the respective sides of said seam and end portions respectively contacting the respective ends of said scam in the respective open and closed positions of said cover, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said seam and pressing tightly against the laterally inner and lower portions thereof to hold said cover tightly and slidably against the crests of said sides of said scam, the depth or length of said presser foot from the lower face of the upper portion of said cover exceeding the height of said seam.

2. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, a closure plate seamed to said body by an upstanding seam, said closure plate being formed with an opening spaced from the sides and ends of said plate, a recessed seat disposed about said opening, and a closure plug seated in said seat, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, a wide depressed portion functioning as a presser foot, a web connecting the depressed portion at all points with the upper plane portion of said cover and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with the inner faces of the respective sides of said seam and end portions respectively contacting the respective ends of said scam in the respective open and closed positions of said cover, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said seam and pressing tightly against the laterally inner and lower portions thereof to hold said cover tightly and slidably against the crests of said sides of said scam, the depth ,1 length of said presser foot from the lower face of the upper portion of said cover being in excess of ie height of said seam.

A ii ilic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, vid closure plate seamed to said body by an upsta ding seam, said closure plate being formed with an opening spaced from the sides and en f said plate, in combination with a sliding ev r comprising, as integral parts thereof, a wide d ressed portion functioning as a presser foot, a connecting the repressed portion at all points about the same with the upper plane portion of said cover and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with the inner faces of the respective sides of said seam, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said seam and pressing tightly against the laterally inner and lower portions thereof to hold said cover tightly and slidably against the crests of said sides of said seam, the depth or length of said presser foot from the lower face of the upper portion of said cover at least equally the height of said seam.

4. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, and a closure plate seamed to said body by an upstanding seam, said closure plate being formed with a perforated area, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, awide depressed portion functioning as a presser foot, a web connecting the depressed portion at all points about the same with the upper plane portion of said cover and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in slidcontact with the inner faces of the respective sides of said seam, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said seam and pressing tightly against the laterally inner and lower portions thereof to hold said cover tightly and slidably against the crests of said sides of said seam, the depth or length of said presser foot from the lower face of the upper portion of said cover being at least equal to the height o said seam.

5. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, and a closure plate seamed to said body by an upstanding scam, said closure plate being formed with a discharge area, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, a depressed portion having a lower face of greater area than said discharge area and serving to seal the same in the closed position of said cover, a web connecting said depressed portion at all points about the same with the upper plane portion of said cover and extending s ibstantially perpendicularly to said plane porticn, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with-the inner faces of the respective sides of said seam, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said seam and pressing tightly against the latera'ly inner and lower portions thereof, said cover, side flanges thereof, seam and closure plate being so constructed and associated that in the assembled relation of the parts the lower face of the depressed portion of the cover will exert a pressure against an opposed portion of the closure plate.

6. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, and a laterally outwardly disposed curl formed about the lip ofsaid body, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, an upper plane portion, a wide depressed portion spaced from the ends of said plane portion, a web connecting the depressed portion at all points about the same with said upper plane portion and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with the respective inner faces of the respective sides of said body and an end portion contacting a portion of said body to limit the endwise opening movement of said cover, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said curl and pressing tightly against the laterally inner and lower portions thereof to hold said cover tightly and slidably against the crests of said sides of said curl.

7. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, and a bead formed about the lip of said body, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, an upper plane portion, a depressed portion spaced from and between the ends of'said plane portion, a web connecting the depressed portion at all points about the same with said plane portion and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with the inner faces of the respective sides of said body and an end portion contacting "an end portion of said body in the extreme open position of said cover, and side flanges respectively extending about the respective sides of said bead and pressing tightly against the laterally inner and lower portions thereof to hold said cover tightly and slidably against the crests of the sides of said bead.

8. A metallic dispensing receptacle comprising a body, and a bead formed about a portion of said body, in combination with a sliding cover comprising, as integral parts thereof, an upper plane portion, a depressed portion spaced fromand between the ends of said plane portion, a Web connecting the depressed portion at all points about the same with said plane portion and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plane portion, said web having side portions respectively in sliding contact with the inner faces of the respective sides of said body, and sidev flanges respectively extending about the respec- 

